Monday, January 09, 2012

Sherlock gets it wrong.

I'm not going to indulge myself in the whole litany of errors in military and computing matters that inflicted "Hound of the Baskervilles" last night. My family had to sit through my muttering and you deserve better.

Just two though, both regarding the irritating Major Barrymore (and not about his being an irritating martinet - not making Lt Col does take some people like that):

WTF is this beard thing? He's in the Army not the Royal Navy (and is neither a Drum Major in a Scottish Regiment nor a Pioneer Sergeant.) That you have some people wearing scruffy beards whilst on patrol in Afghanistan is one thing but it doesn't translate to smart beards in the UK. But that's the producers not Sherlock himself.

The medals in the picture of him and his dad. Sherlock decrees it is mid-1980s and that the father has a DSO. Complete bollocks, of course. The Dad is wearing the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, instituted in 1993 (and not awarded until 1995), a General Service Medal with one bar and the Gulf War (1990 / 91) medal. And he doesn't have the South Atlantic Medal that the "Falklands veteran" he is declared to be would wear (this would be to the left or right of the GSM, depending on when he earned them, all campaign medals having the same precedence therefore being warn in order of award.)

I know, pointless pedantry. But given that the whole drive behind the character is pedantic attention to detail ...

7 comments:

You are so right about the beard. The Army does not allow them for one reason. You cannot get a good seal with a NBC mask. If I was posted to a germ/chemical warfare establishment, I would want a very good seal.

And why does Dr Watson not introduce himself as from the Royal Army Medical Corps? That is how Army doctors identify themselves. ( I did know one chap who did Para training and then started wearing a Para cap and stable belt, but he was an exception) In the previous episode he was drinking from a RAMC mug.

I still enjoy the programme, but the previous episode was better. This one was predictable from the start.

The rules for getting the medal would stop a few vets from getting it I would have thought. You had to do 30 days non stop between certain latitudes etc - some were casevaced before 30 days. I think you got an addition to the medal if you set foot on the island for at least one day during certain dates .I didn't deserve the medal as I went after you guys had taken the islands and peace was restored. Wonder if it will all kick off again.

"The Medal with distinguishing rosette was awarded for 1 days' service in the Falkland Islands or their dependencies or in the South Atlantic, south of 35° South and north of 60° South, or for 1 operational sortie south of Ascension Island, between 2 April and 14 June 1982.

The Medal alone was awarded for 30 days continuous or accumulated service in the South Atlantic, south of 7° South and north of 60° South, commencing between 2 April and 14 June 1982 and completing no later than 12 July 1982."

So not 30 days, not non-stop, and that's just the summary. More recent op medals have definitely been awarded to people casevaced, regardless of the time you've spend in theatre. For the OSM Afghanistan, for example, it is:

"Reduced Qualifying Service. If qualifying service is brought to an end before the completion of the specified qualifying period on account of death, wounding or other disability due to operations service, the reduced period of service will be sufficient qualification for the award of the OSM ..."

Protect Your Bits

Nothing You Wanted to Know

A classical liberal & modern libertarian, economically laissez faire, and a governmental minimalist. Somewhat surprised to find this puts me way to the right of Chingis Khan.
Really, really pissed off at the endemic stupidity of the British governing cliques. Sometimes lets his potty mouth get the better of him.